Courtesy photoThe new 25th anniversary production of "Les Miserables" will come to Miller Auditorium on Jan. 29 through Feb. 3.

KALAMAZOO -- Western Michigan University's Miller Auditorium has announced the PNC Broadway in West Michigan portion of its upcoming season.

Miller will host "West Side Story," "Les Miserables," "Hair" and the return of "Wicked," which broke box office records when it came through Miller in 2010.

Ticket prices and on-sale dates have not been released.

Subscriptions will be on sale in April when the rest of the season is announced.

Tracey Lawie, director of marketing and development at Miller Auditorium, said the venue plans to announce around another 20 shows for the season. The initial four Broadway productions are "remarkable" and this announcement should help build excitement for what's to come.

“They range from some classical music offerings to standup comedians and a few more Broadway shows," she said. “I’m really excited about how next season is coming together. We were able to secure a nice variety of offerings, some of the more popular shows. I think the Kalamazoo community is going to be really excited."

About: "West Side Story" soars as one of the greatest love story of all time and remains as powerful, poignant and timely as ever. The Bernstein and Sondheim score is considered to be one of Broadway’s finest and features such classics of the American musical theater as “Something’s Coming,” “Tonight,” “America,” “I Feel Pretty” and “Somewhere.” As the Associated Press says, “West Side Story" remains Broadway’s best dance-driven musical. Five decades have not dimmed the extraordinary choreography or the score that pulsates throughout.”

"LES MISÉRABLES"

When: Jan. 29-Feb. 3, 2013

About: The new 25th anniversary production, Cameron Mackintosh presents a brand new 25th anniversary production of Boublil and Schönberg’s legendary musical, "Les Miserables," with glorious new staging and dazzlingly re-imagined scenery inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo. This new production has been acclaimed by critics, fans and new audiences and is breaking box office records. The New York Times calls this Les Miserables, “an unquestionably spectacular production from start to finish.” The London Times hails the new show “a five star hit, astonishingly powerful.”

"HAIR"

When: Feb. 26-27, 2013

About: The Public Theater’s new Tony-winning production of "Hair" is an electric celebration on stage. This exuberant musical about a group of young Americans searching for peace and love in a turbulent time has struck a resonant chord with audiences young and old. "Hair" features an extraordinary cast and unforgettable songs, including “Aquarius,” “Let the Sun Shine In,” “Good Morning, Starshine” and “Easy To Be Hard.”

"WICKED"

When: April 24-May 5, 2013

About: Back by popular demand, Variety calls "Wicked" “a cultural phenomenon,” and when it last played at Miller in 2010, it broke box office records and sold out in record time. Winner of 35 major awards, including a Grammy and three Tony Awards, "Wicked" is “Broadway’s biggest blockbuster,” according to The New York Times. Long before that girl from Kansas arrives in Munchkinland, two girls meet in the land of Oz. One -- born with emerald green skin -- is smart, fiery and misunderstood. The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular. How these two grow to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good makes for “the most complete -- and completely satisfying -- new musical in a long time," according to USA Today.

NOTE: Descriptions provided by Miller Auditorium

John Liberty can be reached at 269-370-7372 or jlibert1@mlive.com. Follow me on Twitter @JohnTLiberty